Kurt Elling

An adept singer with a lithe, highly resonant baritone voice and four-octave range, Kurt Elling has garnered abundant critical praise and numerous accolades for his distinctive brand of vocal jazz. Given the depth and broad vision of his recordings and performance style, Elling is in a league of his own. Planning a career in the academic world, he discovered jazz and took to it naturally. Deeply influenced by singer and poet Mark Murphy, Elling began to develop his idiosyncratic scat style in the smaller clubs of Chicago (primarily at the Green Mill, sharing the stage with legends Von Freeman and Ed Peterson) and then throughout the Midwest. An Elling show can contain ranting beat poetry, dramatic and poignant readings of Rilke, and hard-swinging scat.

After sending a demo to Blue Note, Elling signed to the label and issued Close Your Eyes in 1995. He began to get attention from the jazz press, not only for his talent and original style, but also for his choice in sidemen, who included Laurence Hobgood and Paul Wertico for a time. His ultra-hip persona prevailed on 1996's Messenger, which was tougher and leaner than its predecessor, and along with hard touring and a taste for the theatrical and outrageous, Elling won over not only critics but jazz audiences from coast to coast. Elling was married that same year and chose, depending on your point of view, either to revise his hipster image or broaden his traditional base with a collection of standard ballads and love songs entitled This Time It's Love. The album won numerous awards in magazines and was nominated for a Grammy.

Endless touring and guest appearances resulted in Blue Note issuing 2000's Live in Chicago (from three sets at the Green Mill) and the following year's Flirting with Twilight, his most ambitious and satisfying recording -- he opened the disc by singing a Charlie Haden bass solo. Man in the Air and Nightmoves followed in 2003 and 2007, respectively. In 2009, as part of Lincoln Center's American Songbook concert series, Elling released the live album Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman. Elling guested on Hobgood's 2010 and 2011 offerings When the Heart Dances and Left to My Own Devices, respectively.

He also re-emerged with his own album, The Gate, in 2011. The set was produced by Grammy-winner Don Was. Easily his most provocative offering, it featured a few modern jazz standards juxtaposed against a slew of pop, rock, and soul tunes that were radically rearranged and performed by an all-star band that included Hobgood, John Pattitucci, and Bob Mintzer, to mention a few. The following year, Elling issued 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project, which paid homage to the classic American pop music that emanated from the iconic Brill Building during the '50s and '60s.

The singer's 11th studio album, 2015's Passion World, found him exploring compositions and musical styles from around the globe. In June of 2016, Elling paired with saxophonist Branford Marsalis for the sophisticated quartet date Upward Spiral. That October, he returned with The Beautiful Day, his first ever holiday-themed collection. ~ Thom Jurek

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Comments

I recently discovered Kurt while performing this year (2016) at Hermann Hartman's Indigo Gala In Chicago where Jazz Vocalist Zemrah opened for him! She was fantastic, a talented jazz artist! She set the bar high for Elling! However, I absolutely love this man! He is truly awesome. I marvel at how he, with smooth grace and a unique style creates his own spin on a song. A gift to Jazz Lovers everywhere!❤️

Kurt can never be mistaken for anyone else--you just hear him take a breath, and you know who it is. Even if he were #1 on every chart in every category in every corner of the world, he'd still be underrated.

7 months ago

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kimovn630

Nice comments! Pandora needs a like button for the comment section. Just discovering Kurt Elling and I'm digging him!

Heard him one New Year's Eve on the radio singing Green Dolphin Street years ago, and have been a fan from that time. Love him & Jose James

1 year ago

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recklingc

As wonderful as his recordings are, he's amazing live!

1 year ago

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romancegirl1963

Me too! I just discovered Kurt Elling with a song I heard on the radio today called Who is it. OMG! His voice is tremendous. I can't get enough of it. I could listen to him all day long. Beautiful Kurt.

I recently found Kurt Elling. I could kick myself for not being aware of him much earlier..esp. since I played the same jazz club with him back in l996-the legendary Van Dyck Jazz Club in Upstate NY. I played May 7th, and he was booked for May 10th..and stupid me, I didn't bother to go hear him. He was sort of an unknown then, (same as me) and I just thought he was just 'another young artist. But, hearing him on Pandora..i flipped out. I am THRILLED he made it big...HE IS THE ULTIMATE !

Elling & his mentor, Mark Murphy are the standard bearers of an art-form that, were it not for them, might have died with the likes of Sinatra, Martin, and Bobby Darin...Thanks Fellas.

2 years ago

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jsteed001

A voice like stir-fried granite, if that makes any sense. Hints of exotic spices, cigarette smoke, whiskey, and tiny sharp pieces of granite that tickle your ears just so. Kind of like pop rocks tickle your tongue, but ooh so much better.

Kurt rides the edge with his superior voice control, range and musical talent. Sometimes hits, sometimes too deep into that spontaneous jazz jungle to get hold of. Always interesting, peaks at brilliance with many of his works.

Kurt Elling leaves his mark on American Jazz because of his commitment to excellence in the way he performs and constant expansion of his sound; a gift to the music scene.

3 years ago

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erin.dion

I adore Kurt Elling, however he is absolutely not of the Baby Boom generation. He was born in '67, making him a Gen X'er. Pandora, please don't deny us a great jazz vocalist of our own generation, and give him to our parents.

3 years ago

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bigblue91

Nice all the time!!!

4 years ago

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santorinisteve

I remember Kurt from the Green Mill years ago!

4 years ago

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sherylsteele777

Always love hearing new tunes from one of my favorite artist and most unique voices ever! Gotta find this track

Depth, breadth, poise, grace, intimacy. Beauty. I love his intentions and the results.

5 years ago

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sulzbyelizabeth

I got to this piece by adding to my Kurt Elling station that was becoming too standard balladic, I Inserted Tanya D, and got to this piece. It's got some good scatting but he's not really going as wild as he can.

5 years ago

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phyllis.hayes8

Amazing is the only word that comes close to describing the talent that Kurt Elling possesses.

The real thing. Saw him last year in Red Bank, NJ. Harkens back to Chet Atkins, and Torme. The male Cassandra Wilson.

6 years ago

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laurieprkr

Saw/heard him a few times at the Jazz Bakery in LA, and I've been an addict ever since. He is not only an extremely original and creative jazz singer/composer, he's a consummate performer as well. He's often remote and cool to his audiences, but that is his style and only adds to his charm. He makes love to his music while you watch!

Saw him at "Jazz at the Bistro" in St. Louis. I was amazed that there were not thousands of people trying to get into the show. He is such an original and skilled jazz interpreter. The world needs to hear him!

6 years ago

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nildasmail4

talented, intelligent and funny, I love the voice and performance of Kurt Elling

His voice is incredibly smooth and his music can be so versatile yet stay within the realm of Jazz. I can't get enough. I haven't experienced anyone else like him and I listen to many different generations and genres of Jazz. I hope one day to see him perform in person.

Mr. Elling will and should be noted as one the greatest male vocalist of our time, his phasing and presentation is phenomenal. What's not to like ..... ???

8 years ago

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drwillie1980

Actually the contract with Blue Note was just the beginning. He's the best and there no one else like him.

8 years ago

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pandora.luna

As a female listener, I find his voice quite enchanting, without the signature "tarnished and smokey voice" that those old "masters"like Louis Armstrong had.LoL.The contract with Blue Note must have been the acme of his career..